Matt writes: With New Year's Eve quickly approaching, movie buffs are already setting their DVRs to record annual broadcasts of Michael Curtiz's 1942 classic, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," featuring its Oscar-winning performance from James Cagney as George M. Cohan. In his Great Movies essay on the film, Roger Ebert reflected on just how large of a departure this role was for the actor.

Sheila writes: While life can often be messy and awful, and the
bombardment of bad news from around the globe is disheartening to say
the least, sometimes it really helps to sit back, relax, and watch a
bunch of guys working together to play "Flight of the Bumblebees" on the
cliched 100 bottles of beer on the wall. This clip came out a couple of
years ago and I haven't tired of it. I love the collaboration and the creativity. I love in particular the
scene that isn't shown here, the one where they worked it all out.

Marie writes: Every once in while, I'll see something on the
internet that makes me happy I wasn't there in person. Behold the
foolish and the brave: standing on one of the islands that appear during
the dry season, kayacker's Steve Fisher, Dale Jardine and Sam Drevo,
were able to peer over the edge after paddling up to the lip of Victoria
Falls; the largest waterfall in the world and which flows between
Zambia and Zimbabwe, in Africa. It's 350 feet down and behind them,
crocodiles and hippos can reportedly be found in the calmer waters near
where they were stood - but then, no guts, no glory, eh? To read more
and see additional photos, visit "Daredevil Kayakers paddle up to the precipice of the Victoria Falls" at the DailyMail.

Marie writes: This week's Newsletter arrives a day early and lighter than usual, as come Tuesday morning, I'll be on a Ferry heading to Pender Island off the West Coast, where I've arranged to visit old friends for a few days and enjoy my first vacation in two years; albeit a brief one. No rest for the wicked. :-)

Marie writes: Next door, across a long narrow drive and beyond the row of cedar hedges which run parallel to it, there resides an elementary school dating back to 1965, along with an assortment of newer playground equipment rendered in bright, solid primary colors...I'm sure you know the sort I mean...

Tina Mabry's "Mississippi Damned," an independent American production, won the Gold Hugo as the best film in the 2009 Chicago International Film Festival, and added Gold Plaques for best supporting actress (Jossie Thacker) and best screenplay (Mabry). It tells the harrowing story of three black children growing up in rural Mississippi in circumstances of violence and addiction. The film's trailer and an interview with Mabry are linked at the bottom.

Kylee Russell in "Mississippi Damned"

The winner of the Audience Award, announced Friday, was "Precious" (see below). The wins came over a crowed field of competitors from all over the world, many of them with much larger budgets. The other big winner at the Pump Room of the Ambassador East awards ceremony Saturday evening was by veteran master Marco Bellocchio of Italy, who won the Silver Hugo as best director for "Vincere," the story of Mussolini's younger brother. Giovanna Mezzogiorno and Filippo Timi won Silver Hugos as best actress and actor, and Daniele Cipri won a Gold Plaque for best cinematography.